Showing 1-24 of 29 items found in Events

Celebrate the local peach harvest, sponsored by the Cobden Lions Club. Join us for fresh peaches from local orchards, carnival rides and games, crowning of ‘Miss Peach Queen’, homemade food and peach cobbler & pie with a 5K run/walk and parade on Saturday. Free admission.

This fun Fall destination features mazes, inflatable games, face painting for the little ones, and hayrides. Grab a snack from the concession stand (try the sweet rock candy) before heading home with the perfect pumpkin. (open Oct. 1-30, 9am-6pm)

The Murphysboro Apple Festival is the oldest and largest, alcohol-free festival in Southern Illinois. Over 45,000 people attend the festival each year. During the five days of the Apple Festival, there are numerous activities drawing large crowds such as evening stage shows, carnival/concessions, Queen Contest, Prince and Princess Contest, contests from apple pie eating to apple core throwing, firefighters' water fights, marching band competition, car shows, Appletime 5K Walk/Run and much more. In addition, the festival's Grand Parade is one of the largest parade in Southern Illinois. The parade features an average of about 160 total units, 25 of those marching bands, and a variety of groups and organizations.

Visit downtown Makanda, Gateway to Giant City State Park, where black vultures and turkey vultures fly and swoop in the skies each fall. This event is a celebration or the vulture's annual migration with live music and displays by local artists for purchase.

Starting the day after Thanksgiving and continuing through the month of December. Come experience Du Quoin Tourism’s transformation of the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds into a magical place with lights and decorations. The event features a 1 1/2-mile drive through over $250,000 worth of lighted displays as well as decorated trees, entertainment, food, crafts and visits with Santa in the Expo Hall. The light trail opens nightly from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m., and the Expo Hall will be open on the second and third weekends in December from 5:30 — 9:30 p.m. The Expo Hall features Santa’s train ride and Santa’s Workshop.

Celebrate the pepper harvest from 11am to 5pm, A favorite gathering for all chile heads and hot pepper fans. Walk the pepper field and see many varieties of hot peppers in bloom, meet the vendors and see who makes the best hot/spicy food, visit the Pepper Farm Store and select your favorite salsa, jellies, spices and pepper products, relax, visit with friends, enjoy great local music and soak in great southern Illinois pepper heat. 618-893-1443. www.darnhotpeppers.com

A weekend long event sponsored by the Youth Outdoor Education Foundation and the Williamson County Tourism Bureau. The show features boats, trailers, trucks, ATVs, fishing tackle, live entertainment and more. Admission and parking is free. Great fun for all ages.

The DuQuoin fair is one of the nation's best agricultural events. The fair offers plenty of entertainment, including a carnival, livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, contests, and national acts on the grandstand stage.

Parade begins at 2pm from the Anna City Park entrance on Davie St. and follows Main St. to Jefferson St. and back to the park. The Anna VFW post invites everyone back to the lodge for hot dogs and chili.

This Festival began in 1997 and continued to grow and expand with new events and excitement for participants of all ages. A Celtic cultural celebration with special concerts, fairs with music, dance workshops & demonstrations, Celtic arts & crafts, and merchandise, children’s activities. This year's Southern Illinois Irish Festival will be hosted by Walkers Bluff. This new venue provides a picturesque location just northwest of Carterville, Illinois.

This Annual AKC Dog Show boasts many additional amenities. Sign up to bring your dog to the hearing clinic or get their nails trimmed while you wait. Over 100 breeds will try to make it to the Best In Show ring. There will also be vendors of dog treats, toys, beds, blankets and more.

The Shawnee Hills Art Council of Anna Arts Center and P.A.S.T. of Union County are co-sponsoring a Civil War Weekend in Anna, IL. A quick snapshot of the planned events include: Historical bus tour: “Lincoln’s Footsteps and Friends in Anna-Jonesboro”; exhibits which include guns and quilts; re-enactors and encampment; storytelling; and Civil War era food and music. So mark your calendars and plan on coming to Anna Arts Center for a journey back in time.

The 26th Annual Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days will be held at John A Logan College. It is the largest celebration of Hunting and Fishing Day in the country. This 200+ vendor show offers something for the whole family. Bass Fishing and Crappie seminars, catfish contest, Goose calling contests, Dock Dogs competitions, retriever demonstrations and a kids fishing hole are just a few of the activities throughout the weekend.

Marion proudly presents a parade to honor all Southern Illinois veterans. Over 17 bands will march & perform (awards to be given) plus floats and over 1000 veterans from all branches of service will ride or march. Entertainment and food at Fairgrounds. The annual Veterans on Parade is being held to honor all the men and women veterans throughout Southern Illinois, who have ever served our country in both war and peacetime. For more information contact Ed Davis at 618.993.3379 or email etdvita1@mchsi.com

Black Vultures and turkey vultures fly and swoop in the skies surrounding Makanda each fall. Local residents await their return each fall as an end to the hot summer and the beginning of cooler fall weather. This event is a celebration of the Vulture’s annual migration with live music and displays by local artists for purchase. Come join the celebration and see this awesome unique event as these birds return.

Enjoy the fall color of the Shawnee National Forest and guided home tours. Shop at local orchards and farm markets and art and craft fairs. Sample wine along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, participate in the fun run or biathlon race.

Fly With The Eagles Half Marathon is organized by the River to River Runners Club and is the club's first race on the calendar each year, coming in the late winter season for a cold-weather half marathon that takes runners along the roads and trails of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.

They come from miles around and from out of state for the fish fry, for the barbeque, for dancing and fun at this annual event, which is held at 17th & Pine Streets. Thursday the Fish Fry buffet is at 5:30pm – 8pm, $16 at the door. DJ starts at 8pm. Fish Fry & Wing Contest awards at 9pm. On Friday, the Grand Champion Buffet is at 5:30pm – 8pm, $22 at the door, and Band & Street Dance 8pm-12 midnight. A new event for Friday evening is the People’s Choice BBQ & Sauce Contest judging from 5:30 to 8pm. Saturday the judging begins at 10am. KCBS Great American BBQ Tour demos throughout the day. All judges are MBN & KCBS certified. The Awards Ceremony is at 6pm. Sponsored by 17th Street Bar & Grill. http://www.17thstreetbarbecue.com